SSPX Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta Warns of Agreement with Rome

On Sunday, January 17, 2016, Bp. Alfonso de Galarreta of the Society of St. Pius X gave a conference at the St. Vincent de Paul priory in Bailly, France. A short summary of the talk has been posted at the French news portal Médias-Presse-Info. We are happy to provide an exclusive English translation:

For Bishop de Galarreta, it is not to be desired that an agreement between Rome and the SSPX should happen

We are witnessing an upsurge of modernism in Rome with Pope Francis. This can have a positive effect in that more and more cardinals and bishops are strongly and publicly reacting against this waywardness.

II—The State of Our Relations with Rome

Concerning our relations with Rome, there exist two distinct paths since the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sent Bishop Fellay two new documents in July 2015, one doctrinal, and the other canonical.

The doctrinal document is less demanding than the one of 2012, but the required conditions are still unacceptable. They will always be undoubtedly so, given their purpose is to make us accept Vatican II. Even if it were acceptable, it would be necessary to go through the second stage, the canonical one.

The canonical document is also unacceptable, as it puts us in practical dependence upon authorities who want the Church’s harm. They will never be able to accept our necessary conditions for our security. Even if, by some remote chance, they were to accept them, there would remain the third stage: impossible to circumvent, that of the SSPX general chapter.

III—Conclusion: Nothing Will Happen Via This Path

It seems undeniable that the pope wants an agreement (editor’s note: just as Bishop Bernard Fellay has since 2009). He could very well pass over the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Fath as he did regarding jurisdiction for confessions. Is this to be desired?

The Advantages: It would allow us to have, according to Bishop Fellay, a broader apostolate.

The Drawbacks: We will often be in inextricable concrete situations with a real risk of losing the unity of the SSPX, because the authorities of the SSPX will inevitably make mistakes, which will cause yet further division.

In conclusion, in the Church’s current state, and for Bishop de Galarreta, it is not to be desired that an agreement should happen.

And what if it would happen anyway (say by a “unilateral” recognition)? That would create real trouble in the Fraternity.Numerous priests would refuse and would be tempted to leave. To the extent we will not have sought it (this recognition), we will be unable to do anything. Providence will [would] once again watch over the work of Archbishop Lefebvre.

Contrary to what certain faithful, present at the conference, understood, Bishop Galarreta did not say, with regard to the foreseeable departure of numerous priests, that “if it must happen, it will happen”, but that everything is in the hands of Providence. The nuance is important.

Because of its contradictory, theologically inept, and wholly uncatholic position regarding the nature of the Church and the nature and authority of the Papacy and the Magisterium, the Society of St. Pius X has maneuvered itself into this absurd situation, which is now threatening to tear the entire SSPX apart. The theological chickens are finally coming home to roost; the Lefebvrians must finally face the music of their bizarre theology. (The same goes for ex-SSPX Bp. Richard Williamson — see his colossally disastrous theology in action here.)

While SSPX Superior General Bp. Bernard Fellay seems wholly enchanted with the idea of joining up with the Argentinian apostate who styles himself “Pope Francis” — Fellay’s face was virtually glowing at a recent conference when speaking about this topic — apparently not everyone in his Society is on board with him. This promises to be an interesting year, because it is not unlikely that Francis will extend the “ordinary jurisdiction” he granted to all SSPX clerics to hear confessions for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, indefinitely into the future.

As a quick reminder of what Catholics believe about the Church, the Papacy, and the Magisterium, we are once more providing a few relevant links, beginning with a short video clip that sums up the absurdity that would result if we were to hold that Francis is a true Pope of the Catholic Church:

Report: Francis Knowingly Promoted Lewd “Bishop” from Argentina to Vatican Position - https://t.co/IbQ5aD25AK Looks like it’s going to be another rough year for Club Francis… #catholic #popefrancis #vatican #zanchetta

@RadTradDad It would make it valid, but Francis may have a trick or two up his sleeve. You know, he may just do the consecration himself and appoint two other Novus Ordo co-consecrators to ensure invalidity. ;-)

Report: Francis Knowingly Promoted Lewd “Bishop” from Argentina to Vatican Position - https://t.co/IbQ5aD25AK Looks like it’s going to be another rough year for Club Francis… #catholic #popefrancis #vatican #zanchetta

@RadTradDad It would make it valid, but Francis may have a trick or two up his sleeve. You know, he may just do the consecration himself and appoint two other Novus Ordo co-consecrators to ensure invalidity. ;-)